IPL 2026: How RCB shed 'underachievers' tag to become back-to-back champions

The massive factor behind the triumph was the performances of established stars like Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood.

Ahmedabad: A super-strong core firing on all cylinders, an understated captain who ensured the engine kept running smoothly over a gruelling two-month ride, an intelligent and cohesive support staff that laid the blueprint for success at the mega auctions in November 2024 and unheralded and forgotten talents rising to the fore combined beautifully to deliver Royal Challengers Bengaluru their second straight IPL trophy.

When Royal Challengers ended 17 years of wait last June by claiming their maiden IPL, the joy and relief was evident among weeping players to the support staff and even their fans who had been the butt of social media jokes at times. 

Success can cause two things; either teams settle for the view from the summit for a while after having finally trekked the arduous journey or catch a breath and then plot another ascension. That’s exactly what Royal Challengers did when the management clearly stated before this season that 2025 was history and they were here to chart a legacy of their own. And the determined players walked the talk as they became just the third team after heavyweights Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings to win back-to-back trophies.

The massive factor behind the triumph was the performances of established stars like Virat Kohli (675 runs), Rajat Patidar (501), Krunal Pandya (226, 14 wickets), Tim David (305), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (28 wickets) and Josh Hazlewood (15). At various stages in the tournament, the sextet — all 33 years and above — showed why experience is priceless despite the format being considered the bastion of youth.    

Former captain Kohli, who has played only for RCB since the beginning of the IPL in 2008, showed his undying hunger to still be the best in the world by scoring at a career-high strike rate of 165.84. The King yet again reigned supreme in chases, including the final against Gujarat Titans where he slammed a 42-ball 75 not out to prove his powers are very much intact.

Patidar, a surprising choice for captaincy last season, led with a calmness seen in the likes of greats MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. He allowed veterans the space to perform, gave direction to youngsters like Devdutt Padikkal (464) and Rasikh Dar (19) and belief to others in the camp. Captaincy also got the best out of him as a player, the 33-year-old upping his game against pacers. 

Spinner Krunal, who won a fifth IPL crown as a player on Sunday, excelled not just with the ball but produced match-winning contributions with the bat. Masters Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood bamboozled batters with their old-school tricks, picking wickets at the start and delivering frugal spells at the death.

Apart from the stars, players like Padikkal, Dar and Venkatesh Iyer too rose to the challenge commendably. Padikkal extended his impressive domestic season run, while Dar emerged as a revelation as the back-up act to Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood.

Although the players deserve all the adulation, head coach Andy Flower, batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik and Director of Cricket Mo Bobat need plenty of praise. Not only did they piece together this champion unit through meticulous planning, they changed the superstar culture that had weighed RCB down earlier and found a way to extract the most from every member of the team.

Since the start of IPL, RCB, along with CSK and MI, were considered the heavyweights, and clashes between the trio were deemed marquee. But some felt RCB needed a crown to be considered as equals. Now they have two and will be gunning for more, looking to create a legacy of their own.